As if Can-Am’s turbo-charged Maverick X3 family wasn’t already making headlines, the company decided to bump up the horsepower by 12 per cent—which means the 2018 Can-Am Maverick X3 R model pumps out a mind-blowing 172 horsepower. And get this: Can-Am claims it can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds. Put the hammer down and watch your buddies fade into the distance!

At the heart and soul of the new Maverick X3 R is Can-Am’s advanced Rotax ACE engine. To support all this additional power, the intercooler and fan have been redesigned to allow for more heat transfer, and a new fuel pump was added to create more volume. The transmission has also been calibrated to work with the turbo, eliminating lag and making throttle response instantaneous and predictable from the bottom to the top of power delivery.

As for the ride and handling, the Maverick X3 R retains most of the same characteristics from last year—including FOX 2.5 Podium RC2 Piggyback shocks and Can-Am’s four-link TTX suspension with 20 inches of travel.

There are eight different models in the 2018 Maverick family to choose from, including a new 120-horsepower Maverick X3 for entry-level desert and dunes riders.

For more information, see Can-Am’s website.